Tuesday, November 07, 2017

I love when I get to introduce a book I've already read! In this case, it's the paperback release of a book that combines country music with traveling the country in an RV. What could be more fun? Scroll down to read all about Gail Nall's brand new paperback and buy your copy.

Blurb:

A country music hopeful puts her Nashville dreams on hold when she moves into an RV to travel across the country with her family in this charming M!X novel from the author of Breaking the Ice.When twelve-year-old Maya’s parents sell their house and move the family into the world’s ugliest RV to travel the country, Maya’s only goal is to get back home—and fast. No way is she going to miss the chance to audition for Dueling Duets, the singing competition show that’s going to surely propel her—and her cowboy-hatted crush—to country stardom.Operation Maya Goes Home, or OMGH, turns out to be more complicated than she had expected, so Maya sets out on a secret one-day, one-hundred-mile bike ride through Yellowstone National Park with her know-it-all little sister, a cute nature boy, and blue-haired, earbud-addicted Shiver (a.k.a. the most annoying girl ever). Somewhere between the worst muscle ache she’s ever experienced and losing half of their group to a flat tire, Maya starts wondering if maybe, just maybe, it’s possible to find home in the last place you expected.

Gail Nall lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her family and more cats than necessary. She once drove a Zamboni, has camped in the snow in June, and almost got trampled in Paris. Gail is the author of the middle grade novels OUT OF TUNE, BREAKING THE ICE, YOU'RE INVITED and YOU'RE INVITED TOO (co-authored by Jen Malone), and BEST. NIGHT. EVER. (co-authored), all available from Aladdin/S&S. She's also the author of the young adult novel, EXIT STAGE LEFT, available from Epic Reads Impulse/Harper. Blog contributor at Kidliterati. SCBWI PAL member. Represented by Brent Taylor of TriadaUS. Visit Gail at www.gailnall.com.

Monday, November 06, 2017

When a young person disappears, the pain that person's parents suffer can be heartbreaking. Such is the case with Lee Cutler, who disappeared on October 20, 2007. His mother has never stopped searching for answers.

Lee Cutler's mother

Lee Sterling Cutler was a high school senior at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. On the evening before his disappearance, he had dinner with friends and his mom in celebration of a friend's 18th birthday. Afterward, he asked his mom if he could sleep over at a friend's house. His goodbye hug was, as his mom said, "Longer than usual."

Lee Cutler

The next morning, Lee was scheduled to work his job at the mall. When his mother didn't hear from him, she stopped by his store to see him. The manager said he never showed up for work.

Friends initially weren't concerned, since Lee was known to go off on his own to think and meditate. But the next day, his locked car was found approximately 200 miles from his home at a rest stop. Lee loved hiking and camping and had visited this location before.

Where Lee's car was found. Source: Disappeared, Discovery I.D.

In the days that followed, it came out that he'd suffered from anxiety and had been suicidal in the past. The night before his disappearance, he sent text messages stating that his thoughts of suicide were resurfacing.

Local police began a search of the area where Lee's car was found. They soon discovered a makeshift campsite, filled with belongings that were identified as Lee's. There was a box of cold medicine, some Advil P.M., and letters to his parents and girlfriend. Although the notes didn't specifically mention suicide, the letter to his mom stated, "finally, I'll get to sleep." He apologized for being a coward. The letter was tucked into a paperback copy of Into the Wild, a book about a man who sought adventure in the wilderness and eventually died.

Campsite. Source: Disappeared on Discovery I.D.

Lee's body was never found, but his wallet and car keys were in the nearby river. His family and friends believe he still might be missing and authorities think if he was in that immediate area, they would have found him.

Do you believe Lee committed suicide? Or could he still be out there somewhere? Was it murder?